Constructional assemblies comprising two or more bars



United States Patent 3,343,859 CDNSTRUCTIGNAL ASSEMBLIES COWRISING TWOOR MORE BARS Jack Fox-Wiliiams, 3 Belgrave Place,

London SW. 1, England Filed May 7, 1965, Ser. No. 454,029 Claimspriority, application Great Britain, May 8, 1964, 19,299/ 64 4 Claims.(Cl. 287-189.36)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A construction of joint between two barslying at an angle to one another in which each bar comprises at leasttwo longitudinally extending main flanges which, seen in cross-section,lie at an angle to one another, wherein one main flange of tr e firstbar is formed with at least one slot extending from the edge of theflange to the adjacent face of another main flange and serving toaccommodate one of the main flanges of the second bar and permit the endof the second bar to abut against the said other main flange of thefirst bar, and wherein the second bar is provided on the inner face ofat least one of its main flanges which at least one longitudinallyextending subsidiary flange or rib forming with part of a flange of thesecond bar a longitudinally extending groove in which lies a part of theslotted flange of the first bar adjacent to a slot or adjacent to theend edge thereof.

This invention relates to constructional assemblies of the kindcomprising at least two bars (herein referred to as first and secondbars) lying at an agle to and usually but not necessarily, at rightangles to one another and of the kind in which each bar comprises atleast two longitudinal main flanges lying at an angle (usually but notnecessarily at right angles) to one another when seen in cross section,one main flange of the first bar being formed with at least one slotextending from its edge to the plane of the adjacent face of the othermain flange of the first bar to accommodate one of the main flanges ofthe second bar and permits the end edge of the first bar to abut againsta surface of the other main flange of the second bar.

The term main flange used above is to be interpreted as including a partwhich in cross section extends between two flanges as for example thebase of a trough-like bar and also as including any side of a bar orpart of a bar of hollow cross section.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved assemblyof the kind in question in which the assembly will tend to resist to ahigher degree than hitherto relative angular movements between the twobars.

The invention is particularly but not exclusively applicable toconstructional assemblies as used for the corners of metal windowframes.

In a constructional assembly of the kind referred to according to thepresent invention the second bar is provided on the inner face of atleast one of its main flanges one or more longitudinally extendingsubsidiary flanges or ribs, such subidiary flanges or each of suchsubsidiary flanges forming with part of a main flange of the second bar,a longitudinally extending groove in which lies a part of one of theflanges of the first bar adjacent to one side of the said slot thereinor adjacent to the end edge of a slotted main flange thereof.

The invention is particularly applicable to construetions in which eachof the two bars comprises at least two main flanges disposed in spacedparallel relationship and projecting from opposite edges of a third mainflange Patented Sept. 26, 1967 and in this case the said second bar ispreferably provided with subsidiary flanges which, in conjunction witheach of said spaced parallel flanges form at least one longitudinallyextending groove which receives a portion of a flange of said first baradjacent to a slot in or constituting the end edge of such a flange.

In one such construction subsidiary flanges are provided on said secondbar to provide grooves which lie adjacent respectively to adjacentopposite edge portions of each of said spaced parallel flanges, and inaddition at least one groove at an intermediate point in the width ofeach of said spaced parallel flanges, one of said grooves adjacent to alateral edge portion of each flange and said groove at an intermediatepoint in said flange serving to accommodate parts of a flange of thefirst bar adjacent respectively to slots therein while the third grooveaccommodates an end edge portion of said flange of said first bar.

One construction according to the invention as applied to the corner ofa window frame is shown in the accompanying drawings in which,

FIGURE 1 is a cross section through one of the bars, constituting thesaid second bar,

FIGURE 2 is a cross section through the other bar, constituting thefirst bar,

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of the parts of the two bars which are tobe joined to form the corner of the frame before assembly,

FIGURE 4 shows the two parts shown in FIGURE 3 as they appear at anintermediate joint in the assembly operation,

FIGURE 5 shows the two parts fully assembled to form the corner of awindow frame, and

FIGURE 6 is a cross section on the line 66 of FIG- URE 5.

A window constructed from bars joined at the corners of the window framein the manner shown in the drawings, will comprise 4 bars forming arectangular frame, the upper and lower horizontal bars being of thecross section shown in FIGURE 1 while the two vertical side bars are ofthe cross section shown in FIGURE 2.

Each of the horizontal bars, as shown most clearly in FIGURE 1 includesa part of rectangular cross section, comprising four sides, 1, 2, 3, 4constituting main flanges and having internal longitudinally extendingsubsidiary flanges, 5 and 6 which project from the main flanges 2 and 4respectively, and form, with adjacent parts of the flanges 2 and 4,grooves 7, and having also subsidiary flanges 8, which form withadjacent parts of the flanges, 2 and 4, grooves 9.

In addition, the bar shown in FIGURE 1 is provided with a channel formedby two further main flanges 10, which channel faces inwardly in thecomplete window frame to receive an edge portion of a panel or panels ofglass or the like while the bar also has an outwardly projecting mainflange 11, which, with the side 3, constitutes the part which willengage with the periphery of the fixed frame of the window, which may beassumed to fill an opening in a wall. Each flange 10, has an inturnedbead 12 at its edge.

The terms inwardly and outwardly used herein refer to directions in themid-plane of a panel or panels supported by the frame respectivelytowards and away from the centre of the area of the panel or panels.

Each of the vertical bars of the frame, as shown most clearly in FIGURE2 comprises a base part 13 from which project inwardly two parallelflanges, 14, so spaced apart that their outer faces are separated byapproximately the same distance as the inner faces of the sides 2 and 4of the bar shown in FIGURE 1, the base 13 also having projectingoutwardly from it flanges 15 and 16 for engagement with portions of theouter (fixed) frame of the window, which fixed frame as mentioned, maybe assumed to be installed in an opening in a wall.

Formed in the flanges 14, as shown in FIGURES 2, 3, and 4 are slots 17,18 and 19 which, in the assembled window accommodate respectively thebeads 12, the subsidiary flanges 5 and 6 and the flange 1 of therectangular portion of the bar shown in FIGURE 1. The distance betweenthe slots 19 and the end edges 20 of the flanges 14 is approximatelyequal to the distances between the subsidiary flanges 5, 6 and theflange 3 of the rectangular portion of the bar shown in FIGURE 1.

Thus as will be seen from FIGURES 4, 5, and 6, the two bars can beassembled at right angles to one another in such a manner that theflange 1 of the bar shown in FIGURE 1 is accommodated in the slots 18 ofthe bar shown in FIGURE 2, the slots 19 accommodate the flanges, 5 and6, and the slots 17 accommodate the beads 12, all in such a manner thatthe part of the flanges 14 between the slots 18 and 19 and between theslots 19 and the end edges 20 constitute in eifect spigots fittingbetween the main flanges 1, 2, 3 and 4 and the subsidiary flanges 5, 6and 8 of the bar shown in FIGURE 1.

After the parts have been fully assembled as shown in FIGURE 5, parts ofthe sides 2 and 4 of the bar shown in FIGURE 1 may be distorted togetherwith the adjacent parts of the flanges 14 so as to lock the partspermanently against separation.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A constructional assembly comprising at least two bars lying at anangle to one another and in which each bar comprises at least twolongitudinally extending main flanges lying at an angle to one anotherwhen seen in cross section one main flange of the first bar being formedwith at least one slot extending from its edge to the plane of theadjacent face of the other main flange of the first bar so as toaccommodate one of the main flanges of the second bar and permit the endof the second bar to abut against a surface of the other main flange ofthe first bar, wherein the second bar is provided on the inner face ofat least one of its main flanges with one or more longitudinallyextending subsidiary flanges or ribs, such subsidiary flanges or each ofsuch subsidiary flanges forming, with part of a main flange of thesecond bar, a longitudinally extending groove in which lies a part ofthe slotted flange of the first bar adjacent to one side of said slottherein or adjacent to the end edge thereof.

2. A constructional assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of thetwo bars comprises at least two main flanges disposed in spaced parallelrelationship and projecting from opposite edges of a third main flange,and said second bar is provided with subsidiary flanges which inconjunction with each of said spaced parallel flanges form at least onelongitudinally extending groove receiving a portion of a flange of thefirst bar which lies adjacent to a slot in or constitutes the end edgeof such a flange.

3. A constructional assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which thesubsidiary flanges are formed and arranged so as to provide grooveswhich lie adjacent respectively to adjacent opposite edge portions ofeach of the spaced parallel flanges of said second bar and in additionat least one groove at an intermediate point in the width of each ofsaid spaced parallel flanges, one of said grooves adjacent to a lateraledge portion of each spaced parallel flange and said groove at anintermediate point in said one of said spaced parallel flanges servingto accom modate parts of a flange of the first bar adjacent respectivelyto slots therein, while the third groove accommodates an end edgeportion of said flange of said first bar.

4. A constructional assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which theinterengaging parts of the two bars are held from disengagement by localdistortion of parts of the two bars which lie in Contact with oneanother.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 901,755 10/1908 Tiepolt 287S41,258,147 3/1918 Sargent 287189.36 2,192,545 3/1940 Fredman 287-542,776,735 1/1957 Bancroft 287189.36

FOREIGN PATENTS 856,501 11/1952 Germany.

360,186 6/1938 Italy.

CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner.

MARION PARSONS, JR., Examiner.

1. A CONSTRUCTIONAL ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AT LEAST TWO BARS LYING AT ANANGLE TO ONE ANOTHER AND IN WHICH EACH BAR COMPRISES AT LEAST TWOLONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING MAIN FLANGES LYING AT AN ANGLE TO ONE ANOTHERWHEN SEEN IN CROSSL SECTION ONE MAIN FLANGE OF THE FIRST BAR BEINGFORMED WITH AT LEAST ONE SLOT EXTENDING FROM ITS EDGE TO THE PLANE OFTHE ADJACENT FACE OF THE OTHER MAIN FLANGE OF THE FIRST BAR SO AS TOACCOMODATE ONE OF THE MAIN FLANGES OF THE SECOND BAR AND PERMIT THE ENDOF THE SECOND BAR TO ABUT AGAINST A SURFACE OF THE OTHER MAIN FLANGE OFTHE FIRST BAR,